Monday, August 13, 2012

Vanishing Point: North Florida's Disappearing Waters

Vanishing Point is a photographic documentary on the ongoing degradation of lakes and streams around north central Florida. The project contains images from the winter of 2011 through June 2012 and concludes with a call to action to help save these waters from over-consumption and nutrient contamination.

Vanishing Point: North Florida's Disappearing Waters

Friday, August 10, 2012

Water News for July, 2012

We must change
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120701/OPINION/120629632?Title=We-must-change-if-we-are-to-save-water-supply

Water Quality War Rages On
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120703/ARTICLES/120709869?tc=cr

Recent Rains not enough
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-07-05/story/recent-rain-tropical-storms-not-enough-keystone-lakes#1

On Sinkholes, Deniers and Speaking Out (Kudos to Ron Littlepage)
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400601/ron-littlepage/2012-07-04/sinkholes-deniers-and-speaking-out

Conservation Lands are a Big Bargain
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/letters-readers/2012-07-03/story/point-view-conservation-lands-are-big-bargain

Water Democracy
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-03/news/os-florida-water-democracy-20120703_1_water-supply-water-issues-water-watchers

[Too many articles in here to post]
http://stateofwater.org/

Is Florida a Good Steward of Water?
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-06/news/os-ed-front-burner-water-quality-intro-070612-20120705_1_water-pollution-rules-environmental-groups-florida-waterways

State hasn't done enough to avert water crisis
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-06/news/os-ed-front-burner-water-quality-con-070612-20120705_1_waterways-water-resources-water-quality-and-supply

Another temporary "Pumps Off"?
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120706/ARTICLES/120709745/1183?Title=Phosphate-facility-in-White-Springs-remains-closed-after-flood-during-Debby

A Florida Asset
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120707/OPINION01/120709841/1017?Title=Editorial-A-Florida-asset1

More Mega Projects Turning to Private Sector
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120707/WIRE/120709793/1454?Title=More-mega-projects-turning-to-private-investors

Will Florida Save the Springs or Let them Die
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-08/opinion/os-ed-vanishing-florida-springs-070812-20120706_1_wekiwa-springs-nutrient-pollution-environmental-groups

Roads in Columbia County where the Old Ichetucknee once ran
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8929

Silver Springs vs Adena Springs
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-07-09/story/silver-springs-vs-adena-springs-ranch-spurs-new-water-war

SRWMD Groundwater Levels Rebound
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8950

Finding Our Voice on the Water Crisis
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120712/OPINION01/120719916

Listen to High Springs
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120712/OPINION01/120719877

No “made up” science in Adena Springs water wars
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120715/COLUMNISTS/120719840/0/FRONTPAGE

Whitey Markle – free the Ocklawaha
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120715/OPINION/120719860

Silver Springs is a symbol of deeper issues
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/letters-readers/2012-07-15/story/lead-letter-silver-springs-symbol-deeper-issues

Purchase of land aims to protect Glades
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-13/news/os-everglades-conservation-announced-20120713_1_everglades-headwaters-everglades-national-park-development-rights

Fountains of Life
http://stateofwater.org/ecosystems/springs/
Freeing the Ocklawaha neither free nor beneficial
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120722/OPINION/120729968
Florida Environmental group sues over algae blooms
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120723/WIRE/120729879
Is anybody listening?
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120722/OPINION/120729971

Don't gamble on springs
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-22/opinion/os-ed-adena-springs-proposal-072212-20120720_1_silver-springs-water-resources-groundwater
 
Troubled Springs
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-22/news/os-ed-silver-springs-protect-072212-20120720_1_silver-springs-salt-springs-freshwater-springs
 
Herschel Vinyard - Cooperation is the key
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-20/opinion/os-ed-springs-health-myword-072012-20120719_1_water-bodies-water-management-districts-water-resources
Adena Springs Ranch in the Court of Public Opinion
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120728/OPINION/120729615

United for Water
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120729/OPINION/120729718
 
Taking a Dive: Exploring Stressed Springs
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120729/OPINION/120729721
 
Anti – sand mining campaign ramps up.
http://www.bakercountypress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2082:anti-sand-mining-campaign-ramps-up&catid=59:news&Itemid=57
 
My Word:  Ranch permit won’t hurt springs
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-26/opinion/os-ed-adena-ranch-springs-myword-072612-20120725_1_water-resources-silver-springs-minimum-flows
 
Coalition presents 15000 signatures
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28617541

Water News for June, 2012

Water at Heart of Ranch Debate, (Ocala.com, June 1, 2012)
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120601/ARTICLES/120609949
Judge Upholds DEP Water Rules
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120607/WIRE/120609724/1002/NEWS?Title=Administrative-judge-upholds-Florida-water-rules
 
Loving Our State to Death

http://www.ocala.com/article/20120607/COLUMNISTS/120609727
Letters to the editor 06-04-12
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120604/OPINION02/120609909

 
Adena More than Economics
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120603/OPINION/120609945
 
Water Rally a Call to Action
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120603/OPINION/120609944

Alarmists Needed: Water Pumping Request is Tip of the Iceberg
http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/alarmists-needed-water-pumping-request-%E2%80%98tip-iceberg%E2%80%99
A Water Report Card: Legacy - F
 
http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/watery-report-card-legacy-%E2%80%94-f

Barbara A. Purdy: Our water is our heritage (Gainesville Sun, June 6, 2012)
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120606/OPINION03/120609791

Webb Farber: 'New' water needed
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120606/OPINION02/120609815
Governor praises DEP Secretcary Herschel Vinyard amid controverises, criticism, (The Florida Current, May 31, 2012)
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=27904799

High Water Rates in Mount Plymouth
http://www.flowflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Colleen-Fairways@MtPlymouth.pdf
Governor approves Study Committee on Investor-Owned Water and Wastewater Utility Systems
http://www.flowflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Study-Committee-on-Investor-Owned-Water-and-Wastewater-Utility-Systems-Function-and-Background.pdf
How Water Prices Increased After 10 of the Largest Water System Sales
http://www.flowflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FWW_Selling-Out-Consumers-How-Water-Prices-Increased-After-10-of-the-Largest-Water-Systems-Sales_June-2011.pdf
Fact Sheet - Distribution System Improvement Charge: A rip-off for consumers
http://www.flowflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Fact-Sheet_The-Distribution-System-Improvement-Charge_A-rip-off-for-consumers_October-2010.pdf

Aqua America in Florida
http://www.americanwaterintel.com/archive/3/3/three-questions/will-aqua-america-sell-or-swap-out-its-assets-florida.html

More concerns aired at Ag water policy meeting
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120608/ARTICLES/120609685
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120608/ARTICLES/120609621
 

Low water flow woes
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120609/ARTICLES/120609598?tc=cr
 

Access to public lands
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120610/OPINION01/120609635
 

Letters to the editor 06-10-12
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120610/OPINION02/120609634

Low Tide on the Santa Fe
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120611/OPINION03/120609657?Title=Lars-Andersen-8216-Low-tide-on-the-Santa-Fe-River
 

DEP is Blind to State's Green Slime
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120611/OPINION03/120609658?Title=David-Guest-The-DEP-is-blind-to-state-s-8216-green-slime-
 

SRWMD limits take effect tomorrow
http://www.lakecityreporter.com/articles/2012/06/12/news/doc4fd6b18129d05327009643.txt
 

FLOW demands answers
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8816
 

Letter to the Editor
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120612/OPINION02/120619951?Title=Letters-to-the-Editor-for-June-12-2012
 

New director will have tough job
http://www.lakecityreporter.com/articles/2012/06/13/news/doc4fd8054691d0e254279001.txt
 

Ann Shortelle New Director
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8821

Silver Springs may become State Park
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120612/ARTICLES/120619901?tc=cr
 

The second half of this article is about PCS Phosphate's 84 mgd CUP
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28072030

 
Ann Shortelle - $32,000/year annual increase
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28071295

 
June 23 Water Workshop in Ocala
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120613/ARTICLES/120619876
 

Letters to the Editor
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120614/OPINION02/120619837?Title=Letters-to-the-Editor-for-June-14-2012

Environmental land Bank Controversy in Clay County
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-09/business/os-lucrative-land-deal-controversy-20120609_1_connie-bersok-wetlands-mitigation-credits

Getting the Water Right
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120617/OPINION/120619797
 

Dollars, Sense and Drought
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120618/OPINION03/120619820
 

Adam Putnam - We Don't Need the EPA
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120617/OPINION03/120619823

Potato Chips or Future Lawns  - Thank you Jill
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-18/business/os-water-war-spuds-vs-lawns-20120618_1_taylor-creek-reservoir-floridan-aquifer-water-wars
 

That Giant Sucking Sound
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/406107/ron-littlepage/2012-06-13/former-presidential-candidate-could-have-been-talking

Cedar Key salt water intrusion
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120619/ARTICLES/120619681/1455?Title=Salt-water-intrusion-plagues-Cedar-Key-tap-water
 
 

Making Silver Springs a state park
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120620/OPINION01/120619680
 

The tarnished jewel
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120620/OPINION/120619554?Title=Editorial-Tarnished-jewel
 

Undoing the water work of 25 million years
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120620/OPINION03/120619577
 

Water War pits Silver Springs against cattle  Part 2
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-19/business/os-water-wars-beef-vs-springs-20120619_1_floridan-aquifer-karen-ahlers-water-district
 

More on Cedar Key salt water intrusion
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120620/ARTICLES/120629937?tc=cr
 

Come to Silver Springs on Saturday
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120621/OPINION03/120629998
 

Georgia's most polluted river
http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2012-06-21/story/paddle-georgia-looks-pulp-mill-pollution-altamaha

Bob Graham asks Scott for leadership on springs
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28185329
  

Vinyards Response to Graham
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28202229
 

Baker County delays decision on sand mines
http://www.bakercountypress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2023:commissioners-put-off-decision-on-sand-mines&catid=59:news&Itemid=57
 

Macclenny to spray sewer sludge
http://www.bakercountypress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2024:city-to-purchase-tract-to-spray-sewer-sludge&catid=59:news&Itemid=57
 

Grants for wildlife and spring protection
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8849
 

Where's the will?
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120622/OPINION/120629917
 

Salty Cedar Key
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120622/OPINION01/120629904

Water Forum draws hundreds
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120623/ARTICLES/120629856?tc=cr
 

Protecting the idea of Florida
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120624/COLUMNISTS/120629859?Title=Protecting-the-idea-of-Florida
 

This is not the first fight to save Silver Springs
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120624/OPINION/120629875/0/FRONTPAGE
 

Vinyard - To get the water right we must get the science right
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120624/OPINION/120629876
 

Drought remains but rain has helped
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120624/ARTICLES/120629793?tc=cr
 

Mighty spring faces murky future
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-24/features/os-joy-wallace-dickinson-0624-20120624_1_glass-bottom-boats-hullam-jones-water-request
 

Indifference to a saline crisis
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120626/OPINION01/120629787?Title=Editorial-Indifference-to-a-saline-crisis
 

Our hearts are deeper than their pockets
http://www.lakecityjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=73&ArticleID=8854
 

It ain't over
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120626/OPINION01/120629730
 

40 year old law to protect springs and rivers goes unheeded
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28216157
 

US Supreme Court refuses to hear tri-state water dispute
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28244799
 

US Supreme Court stays out of water war
http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2012-06-25/story/us-supreme-court-declines-get-georgias-water-war-florida-and-alabama
 

T.S. Debby a Temporary Fix
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120630/ARTICLES/120639968?tc=cr
 

Feast or Famine
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120630/OPINION01/120639987
 

Surplus Water
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120629/OPINION01/120629549
 

Sampson Lake residents want motor boats banned
http://starkejournal.com/2012/06/27/sampson-lake-residents-fight-flood-waters-boats-with-motors-banned/

Friday, June 1, 2012

Water News for May, 2012

North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership
Floridan Aquifer
Silver Springs
Sand Mines





EPA DEBARMENT PROBES DISCREPANCIES BY TOP FLORIDA OFFICIAL
Environment Secretary Vinyard’s Current Claims Contradict His Previous Filings

Tallahassee — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is trying to decide which Herschel Vinyard to believe – the one who claimed his expertise in handling pollution permits as his chief qualification to serve as Florida’s top environmental official or the one who is now alleging, through a state lawyer, he had nothing to do with permits.  At stake is whether he will be barred from handling water pollution matters as the result of a federal conflict-of-interest complaint filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Florida Clean Water Network.

The groups today released the latest correspondence from EPA questioning why information on Vinyard’s résumé and state job application, and even the Governor’s press release announcing his appointment as Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), are all incorrect, as Vinyard now declares.  The April 27, 2012 letter from EPA Regional Counsel Mary Wilkes asks Thomas Beason, the General Counsel for DEP, which Vinyard oversees, to “explain the apparent discrepancy between the assertion in your letter” that Vinyard was not really employed by the company he said he worked for in state filings or doing work he once bragged about but now disclaims. 

The federal Clean Water Act forbids appointment of any state decision-maker on pollution discharge permits in federal water quality programs who “has during the previous two years received a significant portion of his income directly or indirectly from permit holders or applicants for a permit” (emphasis added).  Vinyard represented himself as director of operations for BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards where he was responsible for its wastewater permits and other regulatory affairs.  He also chaired the Shipbuilders Council of America, representing 40 companies operating 100 shipyards.

“Secretary Vinyard should stop wasting state resources playing peek-a-boo with the EPA.  His ploy that he is not in clear violation of federal law because he lied on his job application is just plain absurd,” stated Florida PEER Director Jerry Phillips, a former DEP enforcement attorney, noting that Governor Scott should fire him if he falsified his application. “By using state lawyers to dissemble on his behalf, Mr. Vinyard is only making a bad situation worse.”

The next move may aggravate the jeopardy for Secretary Vineyard, as making false official statements to a federal agency is a crime which could result in loss of office and imprisonment, sanctions far more serious than those he now faces.  Unfortunately, EPA has not moved swiftly to resolve the February 2011 complaint, despite one promise last November to render a final decision “within two weeks.” 

“Mr. Vinyard is making decisions that affect our waters every day, and most if not all of his decisions over the past 15 months have reflected a pro-polluter bias,” said Linda Young, Director of the Florida Clean Water Network. “As a regular user of our waters I am personally so unimpressed with our state and federal government’s level of concern over Vinyard’s disregard for the law that I think a citizens’ arrest is now in order.”


###





Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Stakeholders Named to North FL Regional Water Supply Partnership

Stakeholder representatives on north Florida water supply issues named

PALATKA, Fla., May 9, 2012 -- Twelve representatives were named today to the North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership's stakeholder committee, an advisory body that will share viewpoints of stakeholder groups with the St. Johns River and Suwannee River water management districts and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to help address the region's water supply issues.

Chosen to represent the groups, organizations and entities that have an interest in the region's water supply, committee members are:
  • Public water supply: Ray O. Avery, Clay County Utility Authority; David Clanton, City of Lake City Utilities
  • Commercial/power generation: Athena T. Mann, JEA; James Cornett, Cornett's Spirit of the Suwannee Inc.
  • Industrial/mining: J. Michael O'Berry, Vulcan Materials Co.; Stan Posey, PCS Phosphate
  • Agriculture: Kerry Kates, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association; Thomas Harper, Harper Farms
  • Environmental: Patrick T. Welsh, University of North Florida and Save Our Lakes; Jacqui Sulek, Audubon Florida
  • Local government: Keystone Heights Mayor Mary Lou Hildreth; Dixie County Commissioner Gene Higginbotham

Action Items from 5/3 Clay-Putnam MFLs Work Group Meeting

The information below is provided as follow-up to three action items from last week’s Clay-Putnam MFLs Prevention/Recovery Technical Work Group meeting.
·       Preliminary Augmentation Technical Analyses: The two analyses mentioned are posted on the SJRWMD FTP site ftp://ftp.sjrwmd.com/wsm/MFLs/PRStrategies/ClayPutnam/AugmentationSubcomm/AugSubcomm_032012/.  See “Lake Augmentation Concepts…” for the analysis conducted by CH2MHill & “SJRWMDAssessment” folder for the analysis conducted by the District.


The “KeystoneDSSConservation…” file (posted in PDF & ppt) is the basis of the statistics discussed by the Conservation Subcommittee. This document summarizes application of the SJRWMD Residential Conservation Tool we discussed during our October Work Group meeting (http://floridaswater.com/minimumflowsandlevels/pdfs/PRSD/2011_10-25_meeting/presentation-residential-agirrig.pdf).

·       North Florida Groundwater Model Domain: see model domain 1 on the attached graphic. Withdrawals within this geographic area were part of the “pumps-off” groundwater modeling scenario we discussed last week.

If the FTP site asks you for a password, click the “guest” radio button, type in “anonymous” for the user name, and use your email address as the password.
    
Thank you all for your continued interest and participation.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Gihring

May 22 Meeting for LAWA

We are planning a meeting of the Lake Area Water Alliance for Tuesday, May 22nd, 6:30PM at the KH Woman’s Club.  If you cannot come please send at least one representative from your organization.  We should have a lot of information to share as there will be reports from our Lake Recovery Stakeholders, Mayor Hildreth about FLOW meetings and possibly a report from Joyce King about the Audubon meeting they have planned with JEA.

To be effective, we need input from all of our organizations to move forward in our unified effort to replenish our aquifer and restore our lakes.  Also, I would also like to suggest that we discuss coordinating a clean up day of Lake Geneva with the City of KH.  It would be fantastic if all of our organizations get on board with this. While it is at a historic low would be an excellent time to clean up the garbage, and this would be a great opportunity to bring attention to our efforts as an organization, conservation initiatives, etc. 

Sincerely,
Jackie Host, President